Welcome to Fresh Cargo
Fair Trade Fashion Store

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find a range of frequently asked questions. We try to update this page as often as possible to ensure that it stays relevant and useful.

However if there is something you can't see and would like to find out, please drop us a line. We will endevour to reply to you by email and also post the information up here for everyone else.

Q. If you are fair trade how come your prices seem so reasonable?

A. Well in essence we work off lower margins, in addition to this our founders are not on large wages and our overheads are kept humble and low. In a nutshell we can pass on our cost savings without being unethical.

Q. Do you own any of your producer groups?

A. We have a share holding in Maasai Treads and a joint partnership with Rubbish Bags alongside exclusive agreements with our other supplier groups

Q. How do we know if you are ethical?

A. Currently we are being assessed by BAFT and WFTO but we are happy to share certain information with customers as we audit all our teams and we have Fresh Cargo people on the ground floor making sure our teams are run professionally. We cannot share all information due to competitors, in the past they have been naughty and tried to buy from our teams and supply our customers. Some people, hey?

Q. Do you design your own products?

A. Around 90% of all our products are designed by our team and we allow in many cases the supplier groups to use our designs to build their business in their own country. How fair is that!

Q. Who owns Fresh Cargo?

A. The business is a family business founded by Rebecca Gray

Q. I would love to work for Fresh Cargo, how do I get in?

A. We are always looking for bright talent and each year we expand and employ more people to join the Fresh Cargo army. If we do not have any positions currently we will keep you on file so in the first case drop us a line on our recruitment page.

Q. I want to become a Fresh Cargo model!

A. OK, well in that case you can drop us a line a help@freshcargo.co.uk. We pay our models and have a policy of employing students or people wanting a career in modelling but do not have a professional portfolio. This way we help many of the young people requiring work or saving money as a modelling portfolio can be pretty expensive. You need to send in a head shot and full body shot and we look for models that look between 20 and 26 years of age.

Q. I desperately need an internship?

A. We know that getting internships can be pretty hard and we try to help where we can. You need to be able to commit to a period of 3 months minimum and we try to help with travel, expenses and lunch. Please remember we are a small family business. Drop us a line with a good CV and covering letter telling us why you want to work alongside Fresh Cargo and what difference you think you can make send details to help@freshcargo.co.uk.

Q. How often do you see your suppliers?

A. On average twice a year maybe four times if we have a new project. We also have weekly updates and inspections on line through skype, the wonders of technology.

Q. What is the vision of Fresh Cargo?

A. Fairness for all. It’s really that simple. If we all treated suppliers fairly in the industry and shared the wealth we would reduce the poverty issues around the world by half. We unfortunately live in a world that is very unbalanced and we hope by doing what we do and educating others we can help towards creating a better balance around the world.

Q. Is Fresh Cargo political?

A. If you mean are we not afraid to tell the truth, stand up for the little guy maybe chain ourselves to a few trees or help change the packaging of Barbie dolls, then the answer is yes. However, we do not see this as being political, we are just fighting for fairness and what is just plain common sense in relation to our planet. We are a family business and we love people and would like to see people being treated fairly.

Q. Why bother supporting you when we have enough problems at home?

A. It’s a fair point but we believe in eco economics, in other words for ethical to work it has to go full circle, by you helping us we must help others in the UK. We are only small however we have stood by this and helped local communities by investing into regeneration projects, RSPCA and other charitable organisations.

Q. Do you make profit?

A. Well if we didn’t we would not be here. Fresh Cargo is a social enterprise that takes those funds and invests these back into further projects that help others less fortunate as well are creating ethically responsible products. Profit is not a bad thing if it is used wisely.